


Beneath a Cloudy Sky

by thegrrrl2002



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Community: trope_bingo, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-23
Updated: 2013-02-23
Packaged: 2017-12-03 08:35:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/696360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegrrrl2002/pseuds/thegrrrl2002
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for my trope_bingo card "Huddle for Warmth" square.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Beneath a Cloudy Sky

Danny tucks the towel against his bare legs and hunkers down in the beach chair with his arms folded across his chest. The wind blows in from over the water, picking up the spray from the waves and the sun has decided to stay permanently behind clouds. Danny's boardies and t-shirt are damp from surfing, causing him to feel clammy and cold. If the damn wind would only ease up he'd be much warmer. 

He wants to inform Steve it's time to leave, time to pack up and head back to the truck. It's probably at least ten degrees warmer up in the parking lot. But Steve is asleep on the sand, rolled up like a burrito in the red blanket, his head cradled in his arms. Actually, Danny can only see the top of Steve's head, dark hair sticking out in all directions. He's only guessing that Steve is sound asleep. But it's a safe bet.

It's probably warmer down on the sand. There's less wind to deal with. Danny considers it for a moment, but Steve's hogging the blanket and Danny has only one small and rather damp towel. Not enough to spread out over the sand with. Just barely enough to cover his legs. Danny sighs, wondering why, as usual, the island is conspiring against him. He digs his toes into the cool sand, tilts his head back and stares up at the sky. Doesn't look like rain, not yet at least. But it doesn't look like the clouds are going anywhere, either.

They really should leave. Pretty much everyone else already has. Problem is, he can't bring himself to wake Steve. They've had a rough couple of weeks and he's had enough of Steve with the dark circles under his eyes, the pinched look on his face. And, even though Danny would never admit it aloud, it's just maybe a tiny bit soothing to be out on the beach right now. No crowds, no radios, no shouting. Just the roar of the waves, the smell of the sea, the distant cry of seabirds. He's pleasantly tired and worn out from the effort of surfing, thigh muscles achy and sure, it would be a lot better if he were warm, too, but right now he is not in any hurry to leave. 

Danny lets his eyes fall shut as he listens to the sound of the water, of the waves crashing down and rushing up the sand before subsiding again. For a long time he hated that sound, equated it with tragedy and loss, but now--well, now it sounds like home. Sounds like Gracie, giggling and splashing in the waves. Like Steve, yelling out instructions and encouragement as Danny tries to balance on his board. And it sounds like shrimp and beer and laughter around a picnic table. 

Another breath and Danny drifts for a while, listening to the dull roar of the waves. 

When Danny opens his eyes again, it's still cloudy and what little sunlight shines through the clouds is behind him now. He sits up, thoroughly chilled. Rubbing a hand over his head--his hair must look atrocious, tangled and windswept--Danny shivers, shoulders stiff and sore. He pulls the towel up over his chest and curls his arms around himself in a futile attempt to warm himself.

His exposed legs are cold now. Damn it. 

"Yo, Steve," he says. Not too loud.

Steve shifted position while Danny slept. He's lying on his side, facing Danny. His eyes remain shut, expression soft and peaceful. Danny opens his mouth, then closes it again. Which is kind of ridiculous, it shouldn't be so hard to wake Steve up. And it shouldn't be so easy to watch him while he sleeps. 

"Steve," Danny finally says again. A bit louder this time. 

Steve blinks his eyes open and focuses on the sand, looking utterly bemused. Then glances up and catches sight of Danny. "Heeey," he says, slow and sleepy. His eyes crinkle as he smiles. 

Danny grins back at Steve. For reasons he's not sure of at all. "Hey yourself, sleepyhead." The wind gusts and Danny can't help the sudden shiver that wracks his body.

Steve blinks. "You cold?" 

"Freezing my ass off, thank you, you blanket hog." 

"Come here." Steve rolls back, releasing one edge of the blanket. Then lifts the corner, an unmistakable invitation. 

Okay, no way is Danny snuggling under a blanket on the beach with Steve and his sleepy eyes and ruffled hair and bare arms with the tattoos. Nope. No way in hell. This is not what he does with Steve.

"C'mon, Danno," Steve says, coaxing now. 

They're going to leave the beach, right now, head back to Steve's truck, where the wind and salt spray can't find him. He's going to go straight home to take a long, hot shower. Because Danny is a sane person. And that is what a sane person would do. 

"Okay," Danny says, sliding off his chair. 

He blames the sound of the waves. Makes it hard to think.

Danny sits on the edge of the blanket beside Steve, who shifts over to make room. But as soon as Danny lies down, Steve rolls back in again, stretching an arm across Danny's chest in order to wrap the other end of the blanket around them both. 

Oh god, so warm. So very warm and cozy and wonderful, all cocooned up next to Steve.

"Better?" Steve asks, his lips only inches from Danny's ear. 

It is better. Much better. Instinctively seeking more warmth, Danny turns toward Steve and burrows in toward the heat of Steve's body. Laughing softly, Steve pulls the blanket up over Danny's shoulders and tugs him closer and they're a little too close now. Danny didn't exactly think this whole thing through. He didn't plan on being nose to nose to Steve. He's disturbed to find out that Steve is just as beautiful up close, with his ridiculous long lashes and stupidly happy smile. Maybe Danny needs to roll over, get away from that face but there isn't all that much room under the blanket and the last thing he needs is to be spooned up against Steve, with his ass tucked into Steve's hips. Danny's sure that would be all kinds of wrong. And wonderful. But wrong. 

"This is good," Danny says. He keeps his arms tucked up against his chest because otherwise he might, hell, who knows--wrap them around Steve or something.

Steve rubs Danny's arm. "Sure you're warm enough?" 

"Uh. Yeah. I'm warm." Despite Danny's best efforts there's an embarrassingly breathless note to his voice.

He's pretty sure the sound of the waves drowned it out.

Except maybe not, because Steve squeezes Danny's shoulder, then trails his hand down Danny's side, resting it on Danny's waist for a moment and hesitates before moving it over onto the small of Danny's back. Danny's shirt has risen up and Steve's warm, heavy hand now rests on Danny's bare skin. It's a slow, careful process and Steve watches Danny the entire time, head resting in the crook of his elbow, face still way too close. His expression is tentative, his lower lip caught between his teeth He's unsure of what he's doing, unsure of Danny's reaction. 

It's astonishing, really, to see that kind of look on Steve's face. Danny's certain he's never seen it before and he doesn't like it, not one bit. 

"Maybe I could be a little warmer." Danny unfurls an arm and wraps it around Steve. His buddy. His partner. Whom he is snuggling with under a blanket. Because apparently that is what they do now.

"Oh really?" Steve smiles, a slow, delighted smile, bright as the sun. "You want warmer?"

Danny pulls Steve closer, heart beating fast. Steve comes willingly. Eagerly. Somehow Danny's leg ends up between Steve's legs, their thighs pressed together and their hips flush and Steve's hand is wide and warm on Danny's back, fingers gently caressing his bare skin. 

It's downright toasty under the blanket now. 

Danny bumps his nose against Steve's and takes a deep, steadying breath. "Warmer," Danny says. "Okay? I want it warmer."

"Okay," Steve says, his breath tickling Danny's cheek.

Danny leans in that last little bit and brushes his lips against Steve's, once, twice. Soft, friendly kisses. Steve kisses him back just as carefully and on the third one Danny lingers over Steve's lips before nuzzling in and rubbing against Steve's stubbled cheek, tasting sea-salty skin. Shifting position, Danny tilts his head and presses his lips to Steve's again and again, testing out different angles. It's so easy, kissing Steve, on the beach, under a red plaid blanket, beneath a cloudy sky. 

Bolder now, Danny slips a hand under Steve's shirt and onto his chest, playing with a hard, tight nipple. Steve responds by tightening his grip on Danny as a small sound escapes his throat, his kiss growing rough and needy. Danny loves it, loves the feel of Steve's skin under his fingers, loves the slight tremble in Steve's body and god, he wants to do all kinds of things to Steve, wants to make Steve lose control, wants to hear Steve moan his name out loud. 

And then Steve slips his hand underneath the waistband of Danny's board shorts, sneaks a finger down between the cheeks of Danny's ass and presses his thigh against Danny's stiffening cock.

"Oh fuck," Danny gasps, breaking off the kiss. "You--"

"What?" Steve asks, way too innocent. 

"You," Danny repeats. "We got some nice kissing going on, and you have to kick it up a notch, don't you? Always taking things one step too far." 

Of course, he's stroking Steve's thigh now, pulling Steve's hips closer, his other hand still splayed over Steve's chest. 

Steve laughs, not the least bit ashamed. He kisses Danny's chin. "And you love it. Admit it."

"The fact that you have no idea what 'taking it slow' means?" Danny asks. "As if that should come as a surprise."

"What do you think I've been doing all these years, huh?"

That brings Danny up short but Steve's kissing him again, making it hard for Danny to think and Steve's hand is still on his ass and Steve's mouth is amazing, so hungry and hot and, and--

"Wait." Danny pulls back. "Have you been pining over me? All this time?" 

Steve raises his eyebrows. His cheeks are flushed, his lips wet and he's breathless and more beautiful than ever. "Have you been falling for me?" he counters. "All this time?"

Danny's face grows warm. "Okay. Point taken." 

Steve leans in for another kiss but Danny stops him with a hand to his chest. "What's wrong?" Steve asks, a look of panic flashing across his face.

"We're still on the beach," Danny explains. "A very public, even if mostly empty, beach. And I am getting very hot and bothered, which is a wonderful thing, except--beach."

"Oh." Steve glances around as if suddenly realizing where they are. "Right." He withdraws his hand from Danny's shorts and backs off, putting all of a millimeter between himself and Danny.

"Think maybe we can take this someplace a little more private?" Danny suggests. Because even a millimeter is too much. 

Steve brightens. "The truck?" 

"No, god, you are such--a _bedroom_ , Steve, I would like to get naked with you in a bedroom--"

Steve's laughing, rolling onto his back and laughing up at the sky and the clouds are lower now, the wind picking up and there's a low rumble of thunder in the distance. 

"Oh, funny. Very funny." Danny sits up and shakes his head, grinning. "Laugh it up, you goon." He wants to kiss Steve all over again. 

A gust of wind blows the beach chair over onto its side. Danny suspects they're about one minute from a torrential downpour. 

"Let's get out of here," Steve says, rising to his feet. "Come on, Danny, what are you waiting for?" 

And it does start raining, before they're finished gathering up their gear, but it only makes Steve laugh again and even with the rain and wind Danny's not cold, because the look in Steve's eyes keeps him warm, all the way up the beach and into the parking lot and into the truck because Danny knows that when do finally get home, things are guaranteed to get downright steamy.


End file.
